The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-05-26
Prohibition.

be voted on in September next is
not creating the interest that was
indicated some months since, and
the appearances now are that there
will not be sufficient vote polled
to constitutionally ratify it, though
a large majority may be for it. l.
becomes the friends of the measure
therefore to bestir them selves. And
in this they should be prudent, gen
tie and persuasive. Abuse and rid
icule should be scrupuIously avoid
ed. 1t should be remem bered that
the voters are free and independent
and are not to be coaxed or driven
into measures. The great point to
be made is that the proposed
amendment does not in any way
abridge or restrict ones rights in
drinking. It is the selling and not
the drinking that is prohibited, and
then only as a beverage, Under the
amendment it may be sold for any
purpose except as a beverage. I'm
der the amendment too it can be
manufactured for any purpose ex-I
cept for sale as beverage. 1t can
be drank ad tt5i5am and given away
but not sold as q beverage. When
sold and used Simply as beverage
40 one but the vendor is benefited,
and he temporarily only. But its
public use as a beverage begets
misery and crime incalculable. To
it as thus used we owe the most Of
the murders and brolls committed,
much of the filing OF the jails and
penite1tiaries, the making Of the
paupers and wretched and misera-
BILE wives and children. The public
use as a beverage the amendment
will stop, provided the legislature
will provide proper penalty, and
nothing else. But is not this
enough to enlist the sym patty and
support Of al good men but the
vendor himself? AGd even he
might not lose financially as will be
shown further on. Those who
make the objection that it will in
terfere with our liberties have not
read the amendment and do not
therefore understand it. Here it is,
read it carefully:
No person shall manufacture for sale,
or sell, or keep for sale, as beverage,
any Intoxicating liquors whatever, in
Guiding wins, ale and beer. The gener-
al assembly shall, by law, prescribe
| ronI11atiano 70 h. of laa
prohibition herein contained, and shall
hereby provide suitable penalties lOr
the violation of the provisions hereof.
Now is there anything here that
will prevent oae from drinking or
even manufacturing except for sale
as a beverage? Every man can
have his own distillery as he can
his corn mill and drink his whisky
and he can eat his corn meal al lJ-
tam. He cannot, however, sell it
provided it is to be drank as bev-
erage. And he can sell it without
license too but will be subject to
the penalties that the legislature is
expected to provide. But what leg
islature will do this? Will it be
the legislature Of 1887, 80, '99, or
what one? And when provided
will it be of such a character as to
prohibit saloon men from selling
Might not its character be of such
a nominal nature that it would be
disregarded-the saloon men would
find that it would cost them less to
pay the penalties than now to pay
the license tax? Here is the defect
Of the amendment. Indeed, there
are two defects which must mate
rally lessen the interest Of prohi-
bitionists. One in allowing the
manufacturing Of Intoxicating Ii
: quors for any purpose except for
sale as beverage; the other in not
specifying the Legislature to pro
vide for the penalty. One legisla
: ture may refuse to take action, be-
ieying the mandate Of the amend
ment not particularly applicable to
them, but will allow the matter t.
t go oyer to their successors, anC
thus allowing the saloon men to &C
on with their traffic free Of tax d
: any kind. It is to this reference
= was made previously that even The
r vendors might not be losers by tht
D adoption of this amendment. saw
the defects of this amendment dur
ing the session OF the legislator,
and ( wrote & promipent senator
: urging him to throw his influence
. for constitutional convention
: whereby the present Objectionable
constitution might be improved ans
a proper prohihltory provision in
= corporated, but be and his brothe
= prohibition senators thought TIL
present amendment would certainl,
. go through and they wera not will
y ing to risk a convention. The,
{ therefore voted it down, thus deny
u ing the right of the people to call
= convention if they should see prop
:. er. The house had already Target
} passed the act. The objections re
L ferred to in this amendment do nc
y exist in the amendment of Texas t
J be voted on in August. Tha
= amendment prohibits the manufas
= turing except for medical, mechani
y cal, sacramental and scientific pul
- poses. And it requires the frs
: legislature that shall assemble afte
~ its adoption to make provision fc
its enforcement.
y One more word for the sticklel
OF freedom and liberty. Sewers
Is, years ago the legislature passed a
J. act fo.bidding under heavy penal
a. ties the selling or giving of liquc
es on election days and Sundays, and
short time afterwards an act VS.
l. passed prohibiting the sale With
r four miles Of an incorporated inst
of tuition of learning unless such inst
tuition was situated in an incorpt
in rated town. Now would not tt
V legislature have the same power
J. prohibit the sale all the day
ol the same as the days named
And the same power to prohibit Il
in sale within ten, twenty or fifty mil
& the same as four, and even to pro
hibit the sale anywhere within tt